ReGlasgow

£30MILLION Glasgow City Centre Hotel Would Be Operator’s first In Scotland

9 September, 2019 | Hotels, Food and Drink

AN operator has been lined up for the 14-storey hotel proposed for a high-profile Glasgow City Centre site occupied by businesses including the Blue Lagoon chippy, O Sole Mio restaurant and the Iron Horse Bar.

Revised plans — including a roof-top restaurant and a significant reduction in the number of rooms — have also been submitted for the development at 109 West Nile Street on the corner with Bath Street.

Signage on images lodged with Glasgow City Council show that the hotel would be under the lifestyle brand NYX Hotels, operated by Leonardo Hotels.

Application documents state: “There is a confirmed operator for the development and this will be their first location in Scotland. The operator creates contemporary boutique hotels and have locations throughout Europe.

“The proposed hotel development represents a £30 million investment in Glasgow City Centre and will create circa 100 FTE [full-time equivalent] jobs.

“In response to the consultation responses received and to facilitate the requirements of the confirmed hotel operator, amendments have been made to the original design which overall enhance the proposed development.

“These amendments include reducing the number of bedrooms [from 255 to 183], and introducing a rooftop restaurant and ground floor bar. The roof top restaurant and ground floor bar can be used by the general public as well as hotel guests.”

A design statement argues that the  14-storey hotel would bring the site “in line with the surrounding architecture” and that the existing two-storey building — which is believed to be considerably more than 100 years old — “significantly stands out from the neighbouring taller buildings”.

It adds: ” The existing building shows no features of architectural merit, is not considered to be of special interest and, as a result has not been listed. Therefore, no traditional feature of value will be lost.”

“[Applicants] George Capital commissioned a Case for Demolition Report to assess the impact of the demolition of the building on the conservation area, to provide further analysis into the architectural merit of the existing building and to further address the concerns set out in the consultation comments received.

“This report concludes that, based upon the assessment undertaken, it is deemed that the unlisted building does not make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

It continues: “Given the nature of the overall enhancement of the site, retaining active ground floor use… and facilitating tourism in Glasgow, the proposal is entirely in line with national, strategic and local planning policy.

“In relation to the design, the proposal has been designed within the context of the surrounding conservation area. This results in something which is sympathetic to the aesthetics of the surrounding architecture, is considerate of the conservation area and also increases the attractiveness of the site and its surroundings.”

The application is still pending assessment by city planners.

The Blue Lagoon have applied to open a restaurant in empty premises a few hundred yards away.

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